Revision as of 01:39, 7 January 2011

Knoxville is in Knox County, Tennessee, United States. It is the third-largest city in the state. It is the home of the University of Tennessee's primary campus (UTK) and site of the 1982 World's Fair.

Understand

Knoxville sits nestled on the Tennessee River about an hour from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Once called the 'scruffy little city', the downtown is undergoing a rapid renaissance as young people move into the lofts and apartments created from the factories and warehouses of another era. On any evening of the week, throngs of residents and visitors can be seen at the sidewalk cafes, theaters, restaurants and night clubs along Gay Street and Market Square. The University of Tennessee, with its 27,000 students, is within walking distance of the downtown, separated only by the World's Fair Park.

One can still see remnants of the 1982 World's Fair in the Sunsphere, a rising structure topped with a gold sphere which dots Knoxville's skyline, however, most of the other structures from the Fair were removed to create a large city park which attracts families, students, and artists on weekends and sunny days. The World's Fair brought a lot of attention and development to the city, including high-rise office structures, and the four-star Hilton, Crowne Plaza and Marriott hotels.

Knoxville is home to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, but the city seems dominated by the University of Tennessee Volunteers athletics. The basketball teams play in the 21,000+ seat Thompson Boling Arena, and the nationally recognized football team plays in Neyland Stadium, one of the largest on-campus stadiums in the world at 103,000 seating capacity. During the fall you will find plenty of orange in the foliage, but you will see Big Orange year round with the people of Knoxville.

The city is also the home or birthplace of a number of cultural figures, such as authors Cormac McCarthy, James Agee, and Alex Haley, and filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, who mentions the city in all of his films (remember the watch in Pulp Fiction?) The Everly Brothers attended high school here and began performing on radio in Knoxville. Dolly Parton began her career in Knoxville. Senator Howard Baker, actor David Keith, film director Clarence Brown and opera singer Mary Costa are all from the Knoxville area. Less culturally, actor and daredevil Johnny Knoxville is from the city.

By car

Southbound Interstate 75 and westbound Interstate 40 converge in the middle of Knoxville via Interstate 275 and run concurrently through western Knoxville. I-75 and I-40 split at the western edge of Knox County.

By bus

Megabus, [49]. Service from Washington, D.C. Buses arrive and depart at the Knoxville Transit Center at 301 Church St. Fares from $1 and up.

By boat

The Tennessee Rivers run through Knoxville and is accessible by personal watercraft. Many boaters routinely navigate the Tennessee River for both pleasure and travel.

Get around

Although parking is usually easy to come by in most of the city, it may be mildly difficult at times to locate adequate parking downtown and around the University of Tennessee. Walking is convenient downtown, but in other areas, most major roads are not amenable to pedestrians or bicyclists. In the outer areas of the city, because bus service is infrequent and some places don't have sidewalks, traveling by car is the way to go.

Public transportation

Knoxville Area Transit, or KAT[50]. KAT runs a bus service throughout the City of Knoxville and parts of Knox County. Unfortunately, most KAT bus stops are served on an hourly interval, so exploring Knoxville via KAT bus is somewhat difficult. However, the recent opening of an ultra-modern Downtown Station bus terminal should greatly improve public transportation within the city. All KAT buses are equipped with flip down bicycle racks and many are powered by biodiesel or other alternative fuels. KAT operates special routes for some events, a downtown trolley service, and bus services for the University of Tennessee.

Knoxville Trolley Lines[51]. The trolley runs several free downtown and University routes during business hours and one "Late Line" route on Friday and Saturday nights during the University of Tennessee fall and spring semesters. Most daytime stops are served on ten to twenty minute intervals.

Biking and walking

Knoxville is slowly building a paved greenway system [52] that allows cyclists and pedestrians to travel into downtown from nearby suburbs such as Sequoyah Hills and Island Home.

Bearden Village[53]/ Third Creek Greenway[54]: Beginning at Bearden Elementary School on Kingston Pike, the Third Creek Trail parallels Sutherland Avenue as it follows Third Creek's wooded path. When the trail ends at Neyland Drive, pedestrians and cyclists can continue on the Neyland Greenway[55] to access Volunteer Landing, the stadium, and parts of the University of Tennessee campus. A spur of the Neyland Greenway connects to the World's Fair Park near Neyland Stadium.

Sequoyah Greenway [56] Technically, the Sequoyah Greenway is a gravel walking/running path located in the median of Cherokee Boulevard, the main road of one of Knoxville's wealthiest neighborhoods. However, cycling the broad boulevard roadway is a pleasant and reasonably safe ride for a casual or serious cyclist. Keep right and most automobiles will have more than enough room to pass you safely. Sequoyah Hills Park[57] and the Tennessee River parallel much of the boulevard's southern side, and the park is a wonderful place to stop for a picnic. The northern side of the street is lined with stately homes. Much of the Sequoyah Hills neighborhood is pedestrian friendly, so be sure to explore a few of the leafy side streets. The trail is accessible at several parking areas along the boulevard, and at the Laurel Church of Christ parking lot (use the crosswalk at the intersection of Cherokee Boulevard and Kingston Pike.) A spur of the Third Creek Greenway leads to the Laurel Church parking lot. Be advised that this spur is extremely steep and not in the best repair. Bicyclists may need to dismount and small children will need lots of help.

Jean Teague Greenway[58]: Beginning at West Hills Elementary School and terminating at West End Church of Christ, the Jean Teague Greenway is an ideal trail for walkers and families with young children. As the trail passes through West Hills/John Bynon park, it divides to form a loop and winds around numerous athletic fields and playgrounds. Near its midpoint, the trail crosses Winston Road near the YMCA. Parking is available at the elementary school when school is not in session, at the park entrance on Winston Road, and at West End Church of Christ on East Walker Springs Lane. Those wishing to continue on to the Cavet Station Greenway may do so by exiting the church parking lot and traveling westbound on East Walker Springs Lane.

Cavet Station Greenway[59]: The Cavet Station Greenway follows the heavily traveled Gallaher View Road from the intersection of East Walker Springs Road to Middlebrook Pike. Although this may someday be a useful link between greenways, it is a less than idyllic experience for a recreational biker. Nearby residents do seem to make use of it as a convenient exercise path for jogging. A sidewalk is on the opposite side of Gallaher View, and there is a cross walk at the intersection of Walker Springs Road. A Wal-Mart and Sam's Club are located just off of the western side of Gallaher View Road.

See

Candy Factory. Currently undergoing conversion to condominiums, but still hosts a fully-functioning candy store. White chocolate dipped strawberries (fresh daily) are a treat for Valentine's Day.

Fort Sanders neighborhood. A multitude of Victorian-era houses.

Market Square. [60] A small, historic downtown square, home to dining, retail, a twice weekly farmer's market, and special events. Market Square takes its name from the Market House that once stood at its center. Farmers from surrounding areas would bring their wagons into Knoxville's Market House to sell their wares. Today the square is full of interesting little shops and restaurants. Entering the the southern end of the square from Union Avenue, one may pass the bell from the old Market House as well as a statue commemorating Tennessee's role in the fight for women's suffrage. Dotted with benches and tables, Market Square is a lovely place to spend a few hours browsing the shops, dining with friends, or watching children play in the small fountain. A lucky square patron may happen upon anything from a pair of cellists playing Beatles songs to an ice cream give away. Market Square is home to the Sundown in the City concert festival, so someone looking for a leisurely evening would be wise to avoid the square on Thursday evenings in the summer. Unless an event is taking place in the downtown area, parking at the Market Street garage (on Walnut) is free on weeknights after six pm and all day on weekends. Event parking is usually five dollars.

Old City. A lot of interesting architecture and a chief nightlife spot. Lots of bars and pubs for every taste.

Gay Street. The main drag in downtown Knoxville, home to a number of shops, a movie theater, and restaurants. Mast General Store, featuring clothing, sports equipment and southern Americana is very popular.

Tennessee Theatre, on Gay Street downtown. [61] The state theater of Tennessee and is an interesting example of Moorish architecture.

Volunteer Landing. Knoxville's riverwalk along the Tennessee River, complete with large, splashing fountains that were purposefully designed for you to play in! The Three Rivers Rambler operates from this location, taking visitors to the headwaters of the Tennessee River on this traditional, coal-fired train.

World's Fair Park. Site of the 1982 World's Fair Park and adjacent to the Knoxville Convention Center. Large, kid-friendly fountains. A big hit in the summer months.

Sunsphere. A modernistic monument built for the 1982 World's Fair. The observation deck is open daily April - October 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. and November - March 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. There is no admission charge.

The University of Tennessee (UT) Gardens. The UT Gardens have been open to the public at no charge every day year-round since 1982. The UT Gardens now serve an estimated 50,000 visitors annually. Over 1,000 woody plants are under long term observation and 2,000 varieties of annual herbaceous plants comprise the primary collections of this 12-acre urban public garden in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Gardens will celebrate their 25th Anniversary in 2008 with many new features and special events such as the 2008 Blooms Days Garden Festival and Marketplace, June 28th and 29th. Hours are 9AM - 6PM on Saturday and 11AM - 5PM on Sunday. For details on Blooms Days 2008, visit http://www.bloomsdays.utk.edu, email [email protected] or call 865-525-4555. The Friends of the University of Tennessee Gardens, an 800-member nonprofit [email protected] organization founded in 1992,advocates, promotes, and raises funds for the Gardens from citizens on the university campus, in the community, and across the state. For additional information, call the Friends at 865-525-4555, visit http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/ or email [email protected]

The Vols The Tennessee Vols are an integral part of the Knoxville lifestyle. Game after game over 100,000 Tennessee football fans pack Neyland Stadium to cheer on their favorite football team. Neyland Stadium first came to life in 1921 as Shields-Watkins Field with 17 rows seating 3200. Over the course of more than 80 years Neyland Stadium has become one of the country's most popular college stadiums. You'll know why when you hear the roar of the Tennessee fans and feel the energy that fills the stadium at every game!

Museum of East Tennessee History, 601 S. Gay Street, [1]. The East Tennessee Historical Society off Market Square has a new and fascinating museum about the history of the area, from Native Americans through Davy Crockett, the Revolutionary War, industrialization (the city was once called the Underwear Capital of the World), the Civil War, and modern history, including the role of the area in producing the first atomic bomb.

Do

Outdoors

The Smoky Mountains. Knoxville is located only 30 minutes from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, one of the largest protected areas in the United States. With its ancient beauty and diversity of plant and animal life, the Smokies are a hiker's paradise with over 800 miles of trails. The park and surrounding park areas offer a host of activities, including camping, fishing, auto touring, horseback riding, sightseeing, and more. If you enjoy bicycling, visit Cades Cove Loop Road, an 11 mile one way road surrounded by stunning landscapes and closeup viewing of wildlife and 19th century homesites.

Fishing The Tennessee River's bass producing waters feature an abundance of fishing opportunities. From the lower end of Pickwick, legendary for world-class smallmouth fishing, the river pours through a powerful tailwater before winding many miles until backing into the Kentucky Lake basin. Kentucky Lake, covering 164,000 acres (109,000 in Tennessee), is legendary for its largemouth bass fishing. Whether you enjoy pure river fishing, open-reservoir structure fishing or casting to cover in creeks or backwaters, there's a Tennessee fishing experience waiting for you.

Motorcycling Living in the Knoxville area puts you near America's number one motorcycle road: The Tail of the Dragon. If 318 curves over 11 miles sounds a little too exciting, enjoy the area's many other roadways. Loop through Smoky Mountain National Park or follow the backbone of the Appalachian Mountains on the Blue Ridge Parway.

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Avenue, ☎(865) 577-4717, [2]. A 275-acre large park and wildlife preserve, Ijams has hiking trails, educational activities, and events about stewardship, local flora and fauna, and more.

Sports

College football (Tennessee Volunteers), 1600 Phillip Fulmer Way, Suite 200, ☎800-332-VOLS, [5]. See traditional college football power, the University of Tennessee play at 102,000 seat Neyland Stadium, one of the largest stadiums in college football.~$45 and up.

College Basketball (Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Vols), 1600 Phillip Fulmer Way, Suite 200, ☎800-332-VOLS, [6]. Watch Coach Bruce Pearl lead the University of Tennessee's basketball team, one of the most successful in the country during recent years in the second largest on campus arena in the country. Or watch Pat Summit's Lady Vols, one of the most successful teams in all of American women's sports.~$10-$70.

Minor League Baseball (Tennessee Smokies), 3540 Line Drive, Kodak, [7]. Watch the AA level Tennessee Smokies play their Southern League rivals at the recently built Smokies Park. They are an affiliate of the Major League's Chicago Cubs and the park even serves Old Style beer, a Chicago staple.$7-$12.

Ice Hockey (Knoxville Ice Bears), 500 Howard Baker Avenue, ☎(865) 525-PUCK, [8]. Watch this Southern Professional Hockey League and three time champion battle their rivals for the Commissioner's and President's Cups at the James White Civic Coliseum.$12-$29.

Rugby (Knoxville Rugby Club), 9435 College St, Strawberry Plains, [9]. Come see the amusingly named Possums of Knoxville play in the second Division of the USA Rugby South Territory.Free.

Theatre and music

The Clarence Brown Theatre.[62] CBT is a professional LORT theatre affiliated with the University of Tennessee. Shows produced at the CBT feature undergraduate theatre students, MFA theatre candidates, and professional actors and directors.

The Black Box Theatre, 5213 Homberg Drive, +1-865-584-0990 [63]. The Black Box is the performance space of the Actor's Co-Op, a community theatre company, and it often features the work of MFA candidates from UT's graduate theatre program. Shows at the Black Box range from children's plays produced by the apprentice company to provocative productions intended for mature audiences only.

The Tennessee Theatre.[64] The beautiful Tennessee Theatre is located downtown. Originally constructed in 1927, it was fully renovated and reopened in January of 2005. Past performances include the Knoxville Symphony, John Legend, Alison Krauss and Union Station, David Sedaris, Savion Glover, Lily Tomlin. They also screen classic movies.

The Bijou Theatre.[65] In addition to being housed in Knoxville’s fourth oldest building, the Bijou Theatre has an atmosphere that’s perfect for live music and the performing arts. Many performers and music fans consider the Bijou the best-sounding room in Knoxville. Tennessee Shines[66] is a radio show broadcast live from the Bijou the last Wednesday of each month. Sponsored by WDVX[67], the show celebrates Appalachian and other genres of American music.

Sundown in the City. [68] During the summer months, head to Market Square every Thursday night to see fabulous live music.

Festivals & events

Dogwood Arts Festival

Rossini Festival

Honda Hoot

Kumba Festival

Boomsday

Knoxville Lindy Exchange

Christmas in the City

Blooms Days Garden Festival and Marketplace, University of Tennessee Gardens on Neyland Drive

Learn

University of Tennessee. A public land-grant doctoral-degree granting university. The campus is near downtown.

Knoxville College. A small, historically African-American college.

University of Tennessee Trial Gardens. Located just off Neyland Drive behind the UT Veterinary Hospital on the UT Institute of Agriculture campus.

Buy

Major Shopping Complexes

West Town Mall, 7600 Kingston Pike (Located a few miles west of downtown Knoxville at the West Hills interchange. Exit 380 off I-40/75.), [10]. West Town is the more upscale of Knoxville's two malls and is anchored by Belk, Dillards, Sears, Belk, and JCPenny. West Town contains a food court and most traditional "mall" stores. The Centre at Deane Hill (located across Morrell Road, east of the mall) contains a Borders, PetSmart, Kohls, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Food City, and numerous smaller stores and restaurants.

Knoxville Center, 3001 Knoxville Center Drive (In the northeastern part of the city off of I-640, Exit 8.), [11]. Most locals still refer to Knoxville Center by its former name, East Towne Mall, if not from habit, then for geographical clarity. Knoxville Center contains a food court, movie theater, numerous small to midsize stores, and is anchored by Sears, JCPenny, Belk, and Dillards. Surrounding shopping centers include Sams Club, Walmart, Carmike Cinema 10, Lowes, Home Depot, Kohls and Super Target.

Downtown shopping

Market Square, [69]. The shops lining Market Square include several locally owned clothing and home accessories boutiques. In addition, the square is often home to vendors during events such as the Dogwood Arts Festival.

Market Square Farmer's Market, +1 865 405-3135, [70]. Harking back to the square's original function, the Market Square District Association hosts a farmer's market each Wednesday (11AM-2PM) and Saturday (9AM-1PM.)

Gay Street. Once the center of life in Knoxville, Gay Street is slowly becoming a destination for shopping and socializing. Mast General Store and Yee-Haw industries make up the limited but hopefully growing retail. At the north end of Gay Street, The Emporium Center for the Arts contains studios of local artists and gallery space. The visitors' center (located on the corner of Gay and Summit Hill), the East Tennessee History Center, and Blount Mansion also have gift shops with souvenirs and local products.

The Old City.

Books

McKay Used Books & CDs, 230 Papermill Place Way, [13]. A warehouse-sized extravaganza of cheap, used books, CDs, DVDs, videos, audiobooks, CD-ROMs, and video games. As well as shopping, you can sell your used items for cash or store credit.

Book Eddy, 2537 Chapman Highway, ☎+1-888-303-0990, [15]. A large selection of used books and LPs, predominantly from estate sales. Excellent quality, with neighborly felines to pet while reading.

Eat

Knoxville has plenty of restaurants - more per capita, in fact, than any other city in the U.S. - although the diversity and quality of them can be disappointing if you're not willing to look beyond the major chain locations. Be perseverent, however, and you will find some diamonds in the rough. Vegetarians and vegans are generally not well catered to, there are exceptions and the vigilant vegetarian or vegan will not starve.

Budget

Knoxville has most typical fast-food chains in one or more places around town.

Petro's, [16]. Petro's was founded in Knoxville during the energy-themed 1982 World's Fair. The petro consists of corn chips, chili, cheese, green onions, tomatoes, and sour cream, and it comes in beef, chicken, and vegetarian varieties. It goes well with Petro's Hint-of-Orange Iced Tea.

Mid-range

Calhoun's, 6515 Kingston Pike, 400 Neyland Drive, and 10020 Kingston Pike, [19]. Voted as serving the best ribs in all of America, Calhoun's offers what they call a "taste of Tennessee". Calhoun's also operates a microbrewery at each of their locations.

The Chop House, (Many locations throughout the city.), [20]. A Knoxville favorite for great steaks and chops in a warm, friendly environment.

Litton's Restaurant, 2803 Essary Drive NE. Some of the best burgers that can be found in Tennessee, and their patties have a remarkably robust and well balanced flavor that is almost sweet. All baked goods are prepared fresh daily in-store by a team of bakers who arrive to prepare the day's goodies before first light. The Tuesday lunch special is fried chicken, broccoli casserole, and banana pudding. Their red velvet cake is simply the best, and their "dinner plate" chocolate chip and sugar cookies (literally the size of small dinner plates) are not to be missed.

Nama's, (Off of Kingston Pike.). One of the better sushi joints in Knoxville. $10-20.

Puleo's Grille, (At the junction of I-40/75 and Cedar Bluff Road in West Knoxville.). The only place in Knoxville (and probably the state) where you can begin a meal with fried green tomatoes with cheese grits and two kinds of sausage gravy and top off the evening with a glass of white wine and a cannoli.

Trio, 13 Market Square, ☎+1-865-246-2270, [25]. Trio's menu takes a multiple choice approach to salads with an order card of ingredients and a pen to tick of the items you'd like tossed with your greens. Tasty sandwiches and a handful of entrees round out the lunch and dinner options. Breakfast is decidedly eggy with a choice of several types of omelets and Eggs Benedict. Coffee and pastries are available all day.$6-9, free WiFi.

Tomato Head, 12 Market Square, ☎+1-865-637-4067, [26]. Monday-Sunday for lunch, Tuesday-Sunday for dinner. The Tomato Head is a favorite restaurant of many locals. They have fabulous (and veggie friendly) salads,sandwiches, pizza, and calzones.

Table Fifteen, 11383 Parkside Drive, ☎+1-865-675-1721, [27]. Table Fifteen is more of a wine bar than and eaterie, but nevertheless they do have some great menu items (eclectic pizzas, standard entrees, etc.) to complement their extensive wine offering. Gets a bit crowded in the evenings, but worth a visit. [This restaurant has been closed since Spring 2010.] [Cru is now open at that location.]$10-16.

Cru Bistro & Wine Bar, 11383 Parkside Drive (Pinnacle at Turkey Creek), ☎865-671-6612, [28]. 11-11. The menu at Cru represents both new and exotic flavors as well as beautifully executed yet familiar selections for one and all to enjoy. The chef-inspired small plates menu encourages those with curious palates to explore and experience a wine variety of foods and an extensive selections of global wines by the glass, the flight, or the bottle.$7 - $15. (35d54'02N,84d09'34W)

Splurge

Baker Peters Jazz Club, 9000 Kingston Pike, ☎+1-865-690-8110‎, [29]. This jazz club has live music and good food. Its alcohol selection focuses on wine, but it also has a reasonable beer selection, and also cigars.(35.912585,-84.081974)

Naples. The city's best stop for Italian food, with nightly specials designed in-house by award-winning chefs. Try not to fight over the cannoli and Seafood Goddess salads.

The Orangery. Open since 1971, with live piano every evening, this restaurant serves outstanding continental fare.

Ye Olde Steakhouse, 6838 Chapman Highway, ☎+1-865-577-9328. One of Knoxville's oldest and most popular steakhouses.

Drink

Market Square and the Old City house a number of bars, probably too many to list here. Below are a few popular locations in those areas and elsewhere.

Patrick Sullivan's Steakhouse and Saloon, (In the Old City.). Opened in 1888, one of the most popular places in the Old City. Often good live music and lots of beer. There's also a cool, laid-back Back Room bar with horseshoes.

The Irish Times Pub & Restaurant‎, 11348 Parkside Drive, Knoxville, TN 37934 (Behind Calhoun's and Smoky Mountain Brewery.), ☎+1-865-675-8800‎, [35]. 11:00-2:00 Sunday-Thursday, 11:00-3:00 Friday-Saturday. This pub has a decent selection of Irish and international beers. It also serves food. On weekends, there is often live music.(35.898611,-84.160466)

Holiday Express at the UT Gardens, University of Tennessee Trial Gardens (Just off Neyland Drive behind the UT Veterinary Hospital on the UT Institute of Agriculture campus), ☎865-974-7141, [41]. See under description. $5 per person, children under 4 are admitted free.

Splurge

There are two Hiltons (One at the airport, one downtown), The Crowne Plaza and The Radison downtown.

Contact

Stay safe

In general, Knoxville is a safe town. Practice the same precautions you would in any other mid-sized American town -- for example, lock your car and don't leave valuables sitting in plain view in your car. Low-income areas downtown should be traversed carefully.
Avoid the area around University and Fifth. You don't even want to go there after dark. This is not at the University of Tennessee. Be careful where you park in the "Old City" area. It's right next to the mission district.

Cope

The University of Tennessee Chancellor's Commission for LGBT People is an advisory group which is active in civic and public discourse regarding LGBT issues in the Community, particularly at the University of Tennessee itself, but is accessible by all members of the LGBT community in one capacity or another [76].

Get out

The Museum of Appalachia in Norris, [77]. About 30 minutes north of Knoxville up I75. See how settlers in Southern Appalachia lived. This area was once "the Wild West". The museum features pioneer artifacts and authentic buildings. There are special events in the spring, the Christmas season, and the Fourth of July (anvil shoot!).

Oak Ridge, Manhattan Project site and host of the annual Secret City Festival.